Lilies
by AwfulGoodness
Summary: [SHORT ONE SHOT] Follows a discovery Harry makes when the eight years view footage of the Yule Ball. Lilies had always been his favourite flowers, after all. Ship: Drarry Disclaimer: All rights regarding Harry Potter go to J.K Rowling, and the image of the lilies in the cover does not belong to me.


Harry had always loved lilies. For obvious reasons.

And so he had been so tremendously sad when there hadn't been any at the Yule Ball.

"So where were you at the Yule Ball, Malfoy?" Ron asked, his face laid back as he watched the memories play back on the wall before them. In front of their eyes danced figures of elegant grace and vivid colour, girls giggling and boys red with embarrassment, but all enjoying the music. It had been Hermione's idea to watch back the Yule Ball from the footage in a Muggle camera she'd set up in the hall. She had thought it would enjoyable to see them all as they were four years ago, even if not all of them were here today.

And _oh_ it was.

Harry had never been so mortified in his life, gaping at the shaggy locks framing his face messily. How had he ever thought that was a good look? Ron's haircut was equally bad, which Harry took great comfort in. He winced as he himself stumbled around the room in the dance, clearly not a pro at dancing.

"Oh, 'Mione, why didn't you help me with my hair?" he groaned, now watching through his fingers.

Hermione, rather uncharacteristically, giggled at him and seemed to be quite taken with the curls she'd charmed in her hair and the lovely dress she'd been wearing. Harry had no doubt that he'd be seeing those curls again in the near future.

It was then that he registered Ron's question, and the fact that Malfoy hadn't answered.

They were sat in the eight year common room, shared by all houses, and right at the start of the year they'd decided to all bury their differences and work together to create a happier environment. After a few fights that mostly removed the animosity, the plan had worked surprisingly well and Harry had found himself with more friends than he'd had at the start of the year, including _Slytherins. Including Malfoy._

Malfoy was actually alright once you got over his past. He was surprisingly supportive, funny and just quite pleasant. Which was a word he would _never_ have applied to him before this year. He'd apologised to everyone he'd ever been mean to and, having been met with forgiveness, had come out of his shell and seemed to become to the person he always could have been.

"I was there. Just in the background. Not all of us are Chosen, you know." Malfoy drawled from behind Harry, in the midst of the cosy group that had formed. Harry snorted; Chosen One comments no longer irked him, particularly when said so frankly. But when he turned round to look at Malfoy, he saw that the Slytherin's face was uncomfortable, eyes cast down and hands fidgeting. "You know, we really don't need to watch this-"

Malfoy was cut off by cries of protest.

"Come on, Malfoy." Ginny laughed, her body tucked into Neville's tightly.

"I do wish you'd all call me Draco." he muttered, and Harry nodded, contrite.

"Oh, Draco, darling, I remember you there. You were dashing!" Parkinson cried. "I do distinctly recall, however, that you were rather displeased at having to be my partner. You were always watching Pot-"

Draco has cast a silencing charm on her so fast that none of them even registered it until she waved her hands indignantly, albeit silently, still looking amused. Zabini burst out laughing, followed by the rest of the group.

"You have no subtlety, Pans." Draco glared at her but removed the charm, grudgingly allowing her to put her arms around him. "And I'm sorry I didn't pay you any attention that night. You deserved more."

"Oh, don't worry. I love you anyway, more now without the icky mushy romance."

Harry was beginning to suspect that Parkinson was a bit drunk; so was Draco, because he laughed and the uncomfortable expression evaporated.

Suddenly, Lavender Brown gasped and pointed frantically at the screen. "Look! Harry's on his own! The Chosen One was ditched by his partner! Merlin, if _Harry Potter_ wasn't enough for Parvati, I think she'll be forever disappointed." Parvati flushed, but grinned. Harry, who was still watching Draco, saw the unease spark again as the other boy cast his gaze to the images again.

"Honestly, you can stop it now-" he began, but was shot down once again. Harry took pity on him and tried as well, but to no avail.

"Look! Wait, is that Malfoy? Sorry, _Draco_."

Sure enough, there was Draco, stood aside without Parkinson (Harry could see her giggling with another boy in the background) and watching Harry. His expression was rather strange- unsure, hopeful? Memory Harry was oblivious to the gaze, and sat alone, looking miserable.

The common room went silent in anticipation.

Draco looked around the highly decorated hall, as if afraid someone would see him. It really was quite unfortunate that Hermione had set the camera up there, as Draco was now stood for them all to see. They were in the far corner, tucked away and secluded. Harry assumed that the three of them had just skipped the Draco part when they'd watched it back, because he'd never seen this footage before.

Suddenly, Memory Zabini had appeared beside Draco. The common room noise level rose significantly as everyone jeered at Zabini, who was by Draco in the present; at first he looked amused at his appearance, before a single, sharp tap from Draco made his face drain of colour. He no longer appeared to be enjoying the viewing.

Memory Zabini, however, seemed amused as he followed Draco's eye line. "Gee, Potter looks alone." Zabini had leaned close to Draco, closer than Harry liked him to be- _what?-_ and his eyes were glittering with menace and mirth. "What are you gonna do about it?" Memory Draco had seemed to unconsciously gravitate towards him, matching his intensity but retaining some fondness that spoke of how close they were.

"Why would I do anything about it?" he drawled. His eyes were alight with defiance.

"Because isn't that your thing? Being rude to Potter? Preying on his weaknesses? Insulting his little friends?"

Draco looked sharply away, his face suddenly flushing. "Maybe I don't want to do that now."

Zabini's face dawned with sudden realisation. He leaned even closer. "Unless you want to do doing something else? Perhaps you want to... go to him? Be his partner? Cure his loneliness?"

Draco said nothing, but his eyes burned with furious mortification. Blaise barked out a laugh of surprise.

"Merlin, you do! You want to make Potter feel better!"

 _What?_

Then Zabini's eyes widened, and he genuinely looked shocked now, if he hadn't already before. "It's _him_ , isn't it? It's not even a her, is it? He's the one you've been pining over for years. You would never tell us who you liked, and _this_ is why." He said it like a statement, rather than a question. "Merlin, all it takes is one second of loneliness and you're ready to throw everything away and sweep in like the knight in shining armour!"

Harry was so shocked that he could have fallen off his seat; all those years of hatred, and apparently it wasn't even true.

"Don't _._ " Draco hissed, but his eyes were burning with tears.

"Draco, I don't care! Why didn't you tell me? I'm your best friend! Merlin, it makes so much sen-"

" _Stop ."_ Draco's voice cracked. "I didn't tell you because... I'd be _ruined._ Father would be horrified and probably disown me, and everyone would hate me. Including _him_."

Zabini, to Harry's surprise, laid a hand on Draco's shoulder. "But don't you see? He hates you already. And if you don't tell him how you feel, then he always will and then there'll be nothing you can do. And besides, even if everyone else hates you, you'll always have me and Pansy." He grinned as Draco stared at him, stunned.

Zabini suddenly moved away, his hand resting casually on the table behind Draco. He smirked. "You know what? Do it. I dare you. Ask Potter to dance, make him feel better, _tell him how you feel_. Tell your father it was all a joke, whatever works." Draco looked at him, but couldn't seem to say anything, which shocked Harry. The silver-tongued Slytherin, contemplating asking Harry to dance? Harry had absolutely no memory of this whatsoever.

" _Please_ , let's stop this-" Draco's _very real_ voice said into the common room and Harry realised that he'd moved away towards the door, one pale hand resting on the handle as if ready to flee.

But the image kept playing.

Memory Draco had pulled his wand out, and Harry watched as flowers suddenly appeared in his hand after a murmured spell. Merlin, he was actually about to do it. So why hadn't he? What had gone wrong?

The flowers took a moment to become distinct, beginning as a vague, soft hue of light that slowly took form and solidified into-

A beautiful bouquet of... _lilies._

Draco's face was nervous and wonderfully hopeful, yet the sudden youth in his expression was heart-breaking, as he watched the flowers.

Lilies. Draco had known. He had known that Harry's favourite flowers were lilies.

Draco took a halting step towards Harry, then another, and another.

"I can do this. Blaise is right. I don't him to hate me." His voice could be heard even as he turned away from the camera.

Then, suddenly, he had turned back around, face stricken. "What if he tells me to get lost? I would, in his place. Everything I've ever said to him, he'll just be repulsed!" He whispered furiously to Zabini, who shrugged.

"Maybe. And anyway, it'll be okay either way." Harry had never heard such support from Zabini; his heart rate began to quicken for some strange reason as he watched the scene. The common room was now completely silent.

"You're right. It'll be okay."

Draco's face lit up with hope and Harry was once more struck by how young he appeared here, like a small child who just wanted approval, or love. Draco turned once more, the lilies held higher in his grip-

When a Beauxbatons girl suddenly swept into view, placing herself elegantly by Harry and extending her hand to him. Memory Harry seemed delighted by the attention, taking her hand and awkwardly rising to his feet to ask her to dance. She accepted gushingly, and together they departed from the shot.

Draco stood frozen. The lilies wilted in his fingers.

He stared at the place where Harry had once sat alone, his body slumped, his face absolutely crushed.

Even in the hazy view of the muggle camera, Harry could clearly see the glisten of tears in Draco's eyes.

"Oh." Draco whispered.

Zabini began to move towards him, looking saddened, but then the image had disappeared and the group were left staring at a blank wall in shocked silence.

Hermione sat back, her hand falling to her side from where it had switched off the camera.

Slowly, the whole room turned to see Draco stood by the door. His face was sad, and his gaze was focused on the floor.

"Oh, Draco..." Pansy murmured, dismayed.

"I'm sorry, Draco." Zabini said.

But silence followed their words, no one daring to speak in the wake of this revelation. It was so abundantly explicit now how Draco felt about Harry, how he had for years. Even if they had wanted to speak, no one would have known what to say.

Harry stared at Draco.

His forehead was creased where he was frowning sadly. His mouth was partially open.

No one made a sound as Harry got to his feet, slowly making his way to Draco by the door. Draco's head was now bowed, hair concealing his features. Harry approached him quietly and paused right in front of him.

Gently, Harry's hands caressed his cheeks, twisting them up to face him, hands sliding over the white skin as he pulled Draco in to meet his lips.

It was spontaneous, but Draco leaned into the touch instantly, eyes closed.

Harry's hands ran lightly across Draco's pale hair, their lips joined perfectly in a sweet kiss as they breathed one another in.

"Harry..." Draco whispered into Harry's mouth, resting his forehead to the other's and opening his eyes to gaze into the green. Harry's mouth curved upwards as he smiled.

"Draco."

And they leaned in again, heads twisting to get closer, the touch tender and affectionate as they discovered the other's face _properly_ for the first time.

Behind them, the other members of the room were smiling, a single tear falling down Pansy's cheek, echoed in the way Zabini breathed out a small laugh.

Only the two of them would ever know how much Draco had wanted that and how long he had been waiting for that sweet kiss.

Draco had known about the lilies, and that was enough for Harry.


End file.
